Messy screen-free fun for toddlers with the added bonus of baked goods!

Jaffa Cakes

We’re still in the depths of winter and sometimes finding rainy day activities is a proper chore. Soft play is like an actual jungle with the sunlight deprived kids running amok (mine included), you’ve watched every episode of Peppa pig (5 times) and your starting to feel personally victimised by the judgey CBeebies playtime app (yes I know it’s after 6pm- must you remind me it’s night-time by changing backdrop).

Jaffa Cakes are a proper rainy day treat though as there’s plenty of stages to keep little hands active!

Cake?✔

Jelly? ✔

Chocolate?✔

It’s a winner!

You will need a 12 hole shallow bun tin, well greased, and a 10cm x 20 cm baking tray or equivalent.

Ingredients

For the sponge

2 large eggs

75g caster sugar

50g self raising flour

25g cornflour

For the jelly

1 packet orange jelly cubes (135g)

175ml boiling water

For the topping

200g dark chocolate

100g milk chocolate

Make the jelly

Maybe it’s just mine but kids adore making jelly! It’s so simple but stirring those big cubes until they dissolve seems to bring an unreal amount of joy. Make the jelly by cutting up the cubes and adding the boiling water (grown up job with supervised stirring).

(This is considerably less water than the packet dictates as the aim is to get a very firm and orangey jelly)

Once dissolved pour into the baking tray and chill until set.

To make the sponge

Preheat oven to 180°C gas Mark 4.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until 3 x the size and frothy.

Add the flours and gently stir in with a metal spoon until just combined.

Divide into the bun tray and bake for 10 minutes or until raised and golden.

Remove from the tray to cool.

Melt the chocolate either in a bowl over a pan of simmering water or in the microwave using short bursts of 10 seconds, stirring well in between.

The assembly of the jaffa cakes is messy play in its finest form! Using a small round cutter, press circles out of the jelly.

Top each sponge with a jelly circle and drizzle with melted chocolate. Don’t worry about them looking a bit rough and ready; the charms in the imperfection (or so I keep telling myself) .

These will set out of the fridge just fine and are best eaten within 3 days.

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Benefits

In an attempt to keep the kids happy and quiet I’ve found we spend at least an hour a day in the kitchen. If its not baking its another form of messy play or splashing about with the sink.

At best baking with kids is a stimulating and diverting screen free activity which encourages sensory development and aids knowledge of cause and effect, increases curiosity and is an all round brilliant way to enhance cognitive skills.

At worst its a really messy way to enjoy something yummy- so its win win